Ancient Sculptures Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic sculptures and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.
The robbery was discovered on Monday, when staff allegedly found that an entrance had been damaged from the inside.
The half-dozen stolen pieces were marble creations and traced back to the Roman period, one official informed the news agency.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a number of exhibits", and that steps had been taken to improve security and surveillance.
The head of domestic security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the government press as declaring that authorities were probing the incident, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He added that security personnel at the facility and other individuals were being interrogated.
The Damascus Museum, which was established in 1919, contains the primary historical artifacts in the country.
It includes ancient inscribed tablets tracing back to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where evidence of the most ancient complete alphabet was discovered; Greco-Roman period classical statues from Palmyra, among the foremost historical locations of the classical era; and a ancient religious building that was built at another archaeological site.
The institution was compelled to shut in 2012, twelve months after the start of the internal strife. The majority of the artifacts was removed and preserved at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in recent years and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, four weeks after rebel forces removed Syria's former leader.
All six of the country's cultural landmarks were harmed or partially destroyed during the conflict.
The IS organization destroyed multiple religious structures and other structures at the ancient city, claiming that they were un-Islamic. Unesco censured the damage as a atrocity.
Many historical objects were also damaged or taken from historical locations and museums.
